The present invention relates to devices for switching a photographing mode of a camera having several photographing modes.
Conventional cameras may have a plurality of photographing modes selectable by a photographer. For example, known modes include a program auto-exposure (AE) mode, which automatically determines both exposure and aperture; a shutter-priority AE mode; an aperture-priority AE mode; a manual exposure mode; and a bulb mode. Recently, modern cameras are also equipped with specialty program modes designed for specific photographing conditions. For example, known specialty program modes include: "portrait" mode, optimized for photographing clear portraits and having an easily controllable depth of field; a "landscape" mode, optimized for photographing scenery and having a large depth of field; "action" mode, optimized for moving objects and having a fast shutter speed; and a "close-up" mode, optimized for up close photography and which focuse evenly at small distances between the camera and the object to be photographed.
Conventionally, by operating manual selector switches provided on the camera, the mode and/or specialty mode is selected by an operator and displayed on a display panel (for example, an LCD panel) provided on the camera body. However, a drawback of the prior art cameras, is that as additional modes, sub-modes, and specialty program modes are displayed, the number of LCD segments required in a display multiplies. As such, the LCD panels are large and expensive. Generally, there is a relationship between the number of segments and cost, as each segment is controlled individually. Further, when some of the segments are ON, but most of the remaining segments are OFF, as the non-displaying segments become a larger proportion of the total number of segments, the displayed information becomes difficult for an operator to interpret, and the non-active area of the display is wasted.